PATERSON — A female cab driver was struck with a bat during a scuffle with a passenger who refused to pay his fare in Paterson on Saturday morning, according to a report on NorthJersey.com.

The trouble began at approximately 4:30 a.m., when the driver picked up the passenger near the intersection of Broadway and East 29th Street.

After traveling several blocks, the unidentified driver stopped and the passenger became hostile, declining to pay the fare. He snatched a bat from the front seat, which the driver kept for her personal protection.

The suspect, who was reportedly wearing a face mask, grey sweatpants and black boots, hit the driver with the bat inside the car and chased her after she fled the vehicle. He continued to beat the driver as she sought help from residents in the neighborhood. Her injuries were not life-threatening, according to the report.

After hitting the driver, the suspect returned to the cab to retrieve his cellphone. He was still searching for the device inside the vehicle when the taxi company manager arrived at the scene of the attack.

After the suspect located his phone, he ran down 11th Avenue. He was described by police as African-American, five-feet eight-inches tall and about 115 pounds.